(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microwave oven, and more particularly, to a microwave oven which reflects microwaves off inside walls of a cooking chamber.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Generally, a microwave oven is a cooking appliance which cooks food by frictional heat generated by making the molecules of the food being cooked move at high speeds with the use of microwaves.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, shown respectively are an exploded perspective view of a conventional microwave oven and a front sectional view of the microwave oven illustrated in FIG. 1.
As shown in drawings, the conventional microwave oven comprises a main body 10 defining an exterior of the microwave oven, a cooking chamber 20 having predetermined dimensions and inside of which food to be cooked is placed, and an electrical component compartment 30 provided to one side of the cooking chamber 20. Provided on a front of the microwave oven are a door 40 for opening and closing the cooking chamber 20, the door 40 being attached by hinge members (not shown), and a control panel 41 which is manipulated by the user to make various selections for the cooking and heating of food.
Mounted inside the electrical component compartment 30 are a transformer 31 for raising a level of voltage supplied from an external electric power source, a magnetron 32 for generating microwaves using the high voltage supplied from the transformer 31 and radiating the microwaves into the cooking chamber 20, a fan 34 for cooling the various electrical components in the electrical component compartment 30 by drawing external air therein, and a guide duct 33 for directing the external air drawn into the electrical component compartment 30 by the fan 34 to the cooking chamber 20.
Provided inside the cooking chamber 20 are a cooking tray 21 disposed on a bottom surface of the same, and a heater 12 for grilling food, the heater 12 being mounted on an upper portion of the cooking chamber 20.
In the prior art microwave oven structured as described above, the cooking and heating of food is realized by the radiation of microwaves into the cooking chamber by the magnetron, after which the microwaves are reflected off inside surfaces of walls of the cooking chamber to the food therein.
However, as the microwaves are reflected off the inside surfaces of the walls in continuously identical angles and patterns throughout the cooking process, different surface areas of the food inside the cooking chamber receive different amounts of microwaves. As a result, the food is heated or cooked unevenly.